Thursday, November 15, 2012

Pole Barn! 
While getting the piers drilled, etc. a pole barn was built for storage during the house construction, later to be a shop/studio.


Site built trusses ready to be installed

Trusses up, siding on, ready for roof!

Roof going on...
 Getting there...

1st residents

 Everything in the PODS, now in the storeroom in the barn!


The barn is finished, the bat house installed and a 3000 gal. water tank collecting rain water from the roof - for fire, plaster and irrigation

History

Finally getting pictures of site and build up on a blog. It took a lot longer than expected.  They always say it's 2 to 3 times longer than any estimate!
Fall 2011 - Site

Soil testing Dec. 2011






Scraped site, ready for next step!


Drilling in-ground piers: (May 2012)
CC Foundation brought a great crew to drill 62 "belled" holes, 8 feet deep into HARD dry soil







All 62 piers drilled and filled with concrete.  Rebar extends 24" above ground and will tie above ground piers to piers in the ground.



1st entry!  This will be a record of my building a straw bale house on the "other side" of the bayou from where the houses have been until now, between the bay, bayou and cultivated field. 
Until 2009 there had been 2-300 feet of thick brush between the cultivated fields and pasture and the beach and bay front.  Tractor Jack chewed through the brush, avoiding the larger mesquite, Texas ebony and persimmons.  What was left was mulch!  More importantly, views of the bay and breeze off the water are now readily accessible!